A service experience over Winter Break, Winter Service Week (WSW) is an opportunity for Canisius students to experience a week of service in the context of community living, reflection, simplicity and social justice. Jesus sent disciples out in small groups to minister to those in need; Winter Service Week is based on this gospel notion and enables students to experience the variety of ongoing ministries present in an urban and rural setting.
Winter Service Week is an opportunity to work and learn in communities in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Erie, Buffalo and Syracuse. This will be the eleventh year of Winter Service Week at Canisius College. Campus Ministry will be going to 6 different locations to do service.
Each of these sites has different arrival and departure dates as well as costs. Please pay close attention to their descriptions and dates!
New York City (45-60 people will work at 12 to 14 different sites)
Saturday, January 7-Saturday, January 14, 2012.
In New York, participants will be assigned to work in a service agency of some sort (shelter, food program, hospital, nursing home, school, etc.). Participants will live together at a variety of living sites in NYC, sometimes in religious communities and sometimes in the homes of people. In some cases, participants will have to bring sleeping bags. On the weekends there will be some limited time for folks to tour NYC and to work in a large urban soup kitchen.
New Orleans (12 open places)
Friday, January 6-Friday, January 13, 2012
This year’s NOLA’s group will be serving with the Phoenix of New Orleans (PNOLA). Volunteers will be doing housing construction - Most of PNOLA's volunteers are assigned one or more of the following tasks: hanging drywall, taping, mudding, sanding, floating, flooring, priming, painting, finish carpentry, and demolition. Participants will be staying with the Good Shepherd United Church of Christ in Metairie, LA. Evening activities will include a visit to the French Quarter, beignets and café au lait at Café Dumond, a tour of the damage done by Katrina, and an evening of jazz at the historic Preservation Hall.
Erie Benedictine Community (6 open places)
Sunday, January 8-Saturday, January 14, 2012
Students will work with the Benedictine sisters in a variety of ministries throughout the inner city and within the monastery itself. Volunteer opportunities include education centers for adults and children, a community center for disabled adults, after school programs for underprivileged children, a children’s art house, soup kitchens, a food bank, and endless opportunities to help the sisters at the Mount. Participants will stay at the monastery and experience the sisters’ daily life of prayer and service. Evenings will be spent reflecting with the sisters on the experiences of the day.
Syracuse Catholic Charities (8 open places)
Monday, January 9-Sunday, January 15, 2012
Students will partner with the Catholic Charities CYO in Syracuse, NY. Participants will work within a combination of four CYO programs: helping in pre-K classrooms, working in two inclusive classrooms, assisting with an after school program, and taking part in an evening respite program for disabled teens and refugees. Catholic Charities serves a large refugee community in the Syracuse community. Participants will be working with local Jesuit Volunteers and engage the local JVC community with an evening reflection. Lodging will be at the Sisters of St. Francis’ Spirituality and Nature Center.
Erie L'Arche Community (4 open places)
Sunday, January 8-Saturday, January 14, 2012
L’Arche Erie is a faith-based community where life is shared between people with and without intellectual disabilities. L’Arche ("The Ark") Erie is part of an international federation of more than 130 communities in over 30 different countries. L’Arche began in France in 1964 when Jean Vanier welcomed Philippe and Raphael, two men with mental handicaps from an institution, to come and live with him. Today L’Arche remains faithful to the simplicity of this vision as assistants and people with handicaps share their lives together, their gifts and struggles, as brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Today, L’Arche Erie has eight homes and two apartment settings where its many members live, work, and share in daily life. These homes relate often to each other, through visits and celebrations. The philosophy of L’Arche is to provide "family" based growth and security to people through mutual relationships. A small group of Canisius students will have the opportunity to live in a L’Arche community for the week and serve in a "ministry of presence" with the residents.
BuffaLOVE
Sunday, January 8-Saturday, January 14, 2012
Discover a new side to the City of Good Neighbors! Participants will serve at Buffalo’s NativityMiguel Middle School. The NativityMiguel Middle School of Buffalo provides motivated, low income students with the opportunity to graduate from high school in a setting that will prepare them for college. This is accomplished through a strong middle school program that includes skilled and dedicated teachers, extended school days and school year, small, single gender classes and ongoing support through high school graduation. Participants will assist with the after school program, in-class instruction and other school projects. Participants will expand their Buffalo knowledge by visiting the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna, checking out the historic Broadway Market, touring the collection of the Albright-Knox Modern Art Gallery, and sipping coffee at locally owned Sweetness 7. Participants will live in Desmond Hall in the beautiful Parkside neighborhood of north Buffalo.
For more information, contact Father John Bucki, SJ at x2420, buckij@canisius.edu or Sarah Signorino at x2424, signoris@canisius.edu.